Azizul wins keirin gold to prove he is Asia's track king


  • Cycling
  • Sunday, 18 Jun 2023

Azizulhasni Awang continue to impress as he completes a double in the Asian Championships in Nilai. - S.S. Kanesan/The Star

NILAI: Azizulhasni Awang sealed his legacy as the continent's most successful track cyclist after winning the keirin final to complete a stunning double in the Asian Championships at National Velodrome here on Sunday.

Japan's Shinji Nakano took the silver while there was more joy for Malaysia as Mohd Shah Firdaus Sahrom ended his extraordinary campaign in the keirin with a much deserved bronze.

Shah Firdaus was caught in a crash involving four riders in the second semi-final heat earlier but made an incredible effort to get up and re-mount his damaged bike, minus the saddle, to cross the finish line from the half-way mark to book his place in the final.

Azizul was flawless in the final as he got his tactical plan right to the dot in racing to his 12th Asian title despite having to start from the position just behind the derny

The last time Azizul won the keirin event was at the Asian meet in 2015 in Korat, Thailand.

The 35-year-old, who was just recuperating from a corrective heart surgery a year ago, had claimed the sprint gold on Friday.

It is only the second time that Azizul had bagged the individual sprint and keirin double after his feat at the 2008 edition in Nara, Japan.

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